Talk: Tapaderos and Cowboy's song

Coll. by M.C. Parler Mr. William Eden
Monte Ne, Ark. 3, 19 January 20, 1960
Reel 343, Item 1
The Cowboy's Song
(Mr. Eden began singing before I got the recorder going. He had previously sung this song for a wire recorder belonging to Mrs. Maxine Graham. I am giving the beginning of the song as he sang it for her. The tape begins at stanza 2.)
When all the winter starms are o'er And gentle spring is returning,
To go out on the range once more My heart was fairlie burning.
I'd left the town where I'd long dwelt,
Where I'd seen a many a row, boys,
My horse and saddle was all my wealth,
I was poor but an honest cowboy.
A light, clean heart was in my breast,
My hands unstained with plunder,
And for the beautiful boundless West I cheerfully on did wander.
At length I reached the old Cimmeron,
Where in early life I'd sported,
Whilst riding up and down the banks I found that I could ford it.
While viewing of that lonelie spot,
I heard a dreadful loud noise,
I heard a couple of pistol shots,
I seen two jolly cowboys.
They wore their broad-brimmed white hats of felt,
Their limbs (linens?)of the latest fashion,
A brace of pistols in their belts,
Which made them look quite dashing.
They wore their gauntlet buckskin gloves,
Not worn by the common plowboys,
At once-t I fell in love with them,
For I always love the cowboys.
Their saddles was full-style Texas rig,
Hair cinches and tappaderoes (sic),
Their blue eyes and their pleasant smiles Told me that they were heroes.
-moreTheir leggings and their high boot heels,
Their spurs with fearful rowel, boys,
Told me they were no tenderfoots,
But they were jolly cowboys.
I spoke to them in an undertone,
Saying, We've met quite unexpected,
I was feeling lonesome here alone,
But I know I'll be protected.
I've had a long and a lonesome trip,
And it's almost sundown now, boys,
I'd love to go with you to camp And stay all night with the cowboys.
While seated around the cozy fire,
We was singing songs and conversing,
One said to me, I have a strange desire,
To ask you a few questions.
What's brought you out this way? my friend,
The truth come tell me now, boys,
I answered him I'd come to spend One year on the range with the cowboys.
And as he raised his hat so white,
He exposed a noble brow, boys,
Says he, you nan - - -
("No, I'm fast — I left that out." He goes back.
I've had a long and a lonesome trip,
And it's almost sundown now, boys,
I'd love to go with you to camp,
And stay all night with the cowboys.
And as he raised his hat so white,
He exposed a nobel brow, boys,
Says he, You can go with us to camp,
And stay all night with the cowboys.
While seated around the cozy fire,
We was singing songs and conversing,
Says he, I have a strange desire To ask you a few questions.
What's brought you out this way,my friend, A-playing the part of a rover?
Come tell me now your name, my boy,
And also the name of your true-lover.
Reel 343, Item 1
Continued
-more-I thought that something was wrong at once, I've got no lover now, boys,
One year ago just in this month,
She ran away with the cowboys.
Then that's what's brought you out this way A-playing the part of a rover?
And if you chance to meet that girl,
Tell me do you still love her?
I'd loved her once-t with all of my heart,
And I dearly love her now, boys,
And if we chanced to meet we never would part, Though she ran away with the cowboys.
He offered me his hand so white,
Saying, I will forget you never,
Your dear old girl you can see this night,
For she is your true lover.
And there indeed stood my old girl With her leggings on like a cowboy's.
Reel 343, Item 1
Continued (2)
MCP: Tell me, what are those tappaderoes?
WE:Well, that was in that.
MCP: Who'd you learn it from?
WE:. . . Girls that was dressed there, in men's rig, you
understand? And she knew him; you can tell by her questions.
She done the questioning, you know. And he didn't know her you know. Till them curls fell over her brow. She wanted him to come tell him her name — wanted him to tell his name and also the name of his true lover. He said that "I thought that something was wrong at once." That was his thought, you know, when she asked him that. He thought, now, she had run off
with a cowboy, but the girls they was a-runnin' a outfit of their
own — had went west and was runnin' a outfit of their own.
Mrs. Eden: Grandfather, she wants to know what a tappadero was?
WE: Oh yes. She wanted to know? Well, that was the things about the saddles — that they had fastened on their saddles. "The saddles was full Texas style, hair cinches and tappaderoes. That was -- You see their stirrups 'ld come on down. You've seen stirrups with stirrup fenders, ain't ye?Covers over in front of the stirrup?Well now, that was their tappaderoes.

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Coll. by M.C. Parler Mr. William Eden
Monte Ne, Ark. 3, 19 January 20, 1960
Reel 343, Item 1
The Cowboy's Song
(Mr. Eden began singing before I got the recorder going. He had previously sung this song for a wire recorder belonging to Mrs. Maxine Graham. I am giving the beginning of the song as he sang it for her. The tape begins at stanza 2.)
When all the winter starms are o'er And gentle spring is returning,
To go out on the range once more My heart was fairlie burning.
I'd left the town where I'd long dwelt,
Where I'd seen a many a row, boys,
My horse and saddle was all my wealth,
I was poor but an honest cowboy.
A light, clean heart was in my breast,
My hands unstained with plunder,
And for the beautiful boundless West I cheerfully on did wander.
At length I reached the old Cimmeron,
Where in early life I'd sported,
Whilst riding up and down the banks I found that I could ford it.
While viewing of that lonelie spot,
I heard a dreadful loud noise,
I heard a couple of pistol shots,
I seen two jolly cowboys.
They wore their broad-brimmed white hats of felt,
Their limbs (linens?)of the latest fashion,
A brace of pistols in their belts,
Which made them look quite dashing.
They wore their gauntlet buckskin gloves,
Not worn by the common plowboys,
At once-t I fell in love with them,
For I always love the cowboys.
Their saddles was full-style Texas rig,
Hair cinches and tappaderoes (sic),
Their blue eyes and their pleasant smiles Told me that they were heroes.
-moreTheir leggings and their high boot heels,
Their spurs with fearful rowel, boys,
Told me they were no tenderfoots,
But they were jolly cowboys.
I spoke to them in an undertone,
Saying, We've met quite unexpected,
I was feeling lonesome here alone,
But I know I'll be protected.
I've had a long and a lonesome trip,
And it's almost sundown now, boys,
I'd love to go with you to camp And stay all night with the cowboys.
While seated around the cozy fire,
We was singing songs and conversing,
One said to me, I have a strange desire,
To ask you a few questions.
What's brought you out this way? my friend,
The truth come tell me now, boys,
I answered him I'd come to spend One year on the range with the cowboys.
And as he raised his hat so white,
He exposed a noble brow, boys,
Says he, you nan - - -
("No, I'm fast — I left that out." He goes back.
I've had a long and a lonesome trip,
And it's almost sundown now, boys,
I'd love to go with you to camp,
And stay all night with the cowboys.
And as he raised his hat so white,
He exposed a nobel brow, boys,
Says he, You can go with us to camp,
And stay all night with the cowboys.
While seated around the cozy fire,
We was singing songs and conversing,
Says he, I have a strange desire To ask you a few questions.
What's brought you out this way,my friend, A-playing the part of a rover?
Come tell me now your name, my boy,
And also the name of your true-lover.
Reel 343, Item 1
Continued
-more-I thought that something was wrong at once, I've got no lover now, boys,
One year ago just in this month,
She ran away with the cowboys.
Then that's what's brought you out this way A-playing the part of a rover?
And if you chance to meet that girl,
Tell me do you still love her?
I'd loved her once-t with all of my heart,
And I dearly love her now, boys,
And if we chanced to meet we never would part, Though she ran away with the cowboys.
He offered me his hand so white,
Saying, I will forget you never,
Your dear old girl you can see this night,
For she is your true lover.
And there indeed stood my old girl With her leggings on like a cowboy's.
Reel 343, Item 1
Continued (2)
MCP: Tell me, what are those tappaderoes?
WE:Well, that was in that.
MCP: Who'd you learn it from?
WE:. . . Girls that was dressed there, in men's rig, you
understand? And she knew him; you can tell by her questions.
She done the questioning, you know. And he didn't know her you know. Till them curls fell over her brow. She wanted him to come tell him her name — wanted him to tell his name and also the name of his true lover. He said that "I thought that something was wrong at once." That was his thought, you know, when she asked him that. He thought, now, she had run off
with a cowboy, but the girls they was a-runnin' a outfit of their
own — had went west and was runnin' a outfit of their own.
Mrs. Eden: Grandfather, she wants to know what a tappadero was?
WE: Oh yes. She wanted to know? Well, that was the things about the saddles — that they had fastened on their saddles. "The saddles was full Texas style, hair cinches and tappaderoes. That was -- You see their stirrups 'ld come on down. You've seen stirrups with stirrup fenders, ain't ye?Covers over in front of the stirrup?Well now, that was their tappaderoes.